A discussion of the business of being.
Last week’s discussion was teaching your children well. Two weeks ago, was the founding question of “who am I?” And this week is the business of being. A third post about our ability to quickly change our planetary existence. We need to change our perception of who we are, invest in the future by planting seeds (teach our children) and change how we interact or be in relationship with each other. This week’s focus is from the perspective of “business,” which is being in relationship. Business influences a significant part of life. Whether as an employee, a supervisor or manger, an entrepreneur, a stockholder, as a community member, or customer. Each of these roles is different, but all are in a relationship to some business.
Any business is about “being and exchange.” Stated in the mission statement, i.e., the purpose of existing as a business. Or as “who am I” and thus the relationship, with a customer, community member, stockholder, manager or employee, etc. It is simply the who, relationship and the method of exchange or transaction. Historically, the exchange or transaction is in terms of value, i.e., time, energy/labor/cost, and money.
In business, the mission statement is the goal and existential reason for being in business. It is simply answering the question of “who am I, why I exist and the purpose for being?” It is the “I produce, provide and sell” some good or service (utility) in exchange for something of value (time, money and energy) to ensure my existence and hopefully make a profit. And subsequently contribute to the well-being of myself, the owners, employees, stockholders, customer and community. The enhancement of several parties.
Determining Value
We are currently in an interesting time of determining “value.” The historical measuring stick is money, i.e., power and influence. But many folks are knowing “money” is an arbitrary measuring stick that is relative to our embedded social, cultural, economic and political context or environment. Meaning things like economic theory, fiscal policy, taxation, determine what is valuable relative to time, resource, allocations, credit (debt) cycles, etc. Quite some time ago, I posted “Is Love The New Money.” The point of that post was value and exchange in an environment of scarcity versus value and exchange in an abundant environment. (https://lovechangegrow.com/is-love-the-new-money/)
The Point
The point of this post is that if we can change statement of who we are. A business can do this also. The first question is “who are we as a business?” And second, “how shall we do business?” Profit taking (scarcity and hoarding) or as the opportunity to share in “an abundance economy/environment?” We could transform the way we do business we can subsequently change the well-being of the planet and all her inhabitants in relative short order. What shall we order… scarcity (fears/past) or abundance (love/being/future)?
Scarcity versus Abundance
The noted statements of “crisis and opportunity and scarcity vs abundance” are a matter of perception, perspective and interpretation. Perception is a matter of senses, i.e., the neural signals of what is seen, heard, felt, etc. Perspective is a matter of the interpretation and understanding of these neural sensations. Perspective is the position, framework and mindset in which we view what is happening. It is an internal (subjective) interpretation and understanding relative to “who” is doing the interpretation. Which is largely a matter of the “who” and their experience. Largely in terms of one’s social, economic and class position (and access) and of their individual or personal experiences. However, at the other end of the personality and psychological level. Is the influence “of the future,” i.e., that is the “why.” What is the goal, desire, or purpose that directs behavior? Examples are the “carrot and the stick” concept, the stimulus and response, or the avoidance of pain and re-enforcement of pleasure. Essentially, whoever controls interpretation of the past, i.e., the history of pain, pleasure, and the re-enforcement mechanisms. Also has a significant advantage of controlling the narrative of the future. But the basic question is “who” does this? Is it externally or internally, a matter of “locus of control.” Who interprets whether a stimulus is pain or pleasure and who controls the re-enforcement thereof?
The Self, World, and Future
Aaron T. Beck, an influential psychiatrist and the father of “cognitive-behavioral therapy” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Beck) notes the view of the self (who), the view of the world (one’s experiences) influences the view of one’s future. In a sense, who we determine our self to be, i.e., what we interpret our experience to have been (world) will probably influence our understanding of the future and our subsequent behaviors.
A perspective of our current happenings on the planet is of “crisis and opportunity.” I.e., a battle (change or transition/transformation) of who we determine ourself to be (self), i.e., self-determined or self-sovereign versus external or other-defined. A re-interpretation of our experience (history) of the “world.” And how one is “to be,” i.e., “to act in the future?” The psychological/metaphysical trick or slight-of-hand is that the future collapses in to the now, if we “are,” being, or existing “as if” it already exists. Meaning that both the “to be and the future” are one step removed from being. But if we are (or change to be) that which we wish to be? Therefore, be (i.e., think, feel, and behave) as you wish to be… NOW! What occurs, is that the future melds or collapses into the “now.”
Who Are We?
In business, relationships, etc. There are at least two core parties and likely many more unseen parties which influence the core interaction, such as, supply and demand (inventory vs market), banks, regulators, etc. No need to note more, than link to the post two weeks ago about the question of “who am I?” (https://lovechangegrow.com/when-you-love-to-hate-doing-it-to-yourself/). This question easily overlays to the notion of a business entity that needs to ask the same question, for obvious reasons.
What Was and Is Our Experience?
Many folks recognize that our history or “memory of” our experiences are changing quickly. Is our news cycles are spinning out of control? It seems there is no longer much of any history. Even the stock market no-longer references yesterday’s S&P’s 500 opening and closing. It has become “narrative.” An account, a story or tale of what happened. News is a “Yelp” review of what hog slop we devouring at the feeding trough today. Hey some note it was delish… others got drunk off the fermented sour mash. What can I say; used to slop hogs as a teen working farms.
The Business of Being
The point of this post is that if we changed the purpose of being in business from the focus of making money, i.e., “the love of money” to the focus of sharing abundance. In that we recognize and choose to share God (divine or source) given abundance. Then money is just a tool of sharing, exchange, and relationship. If money being a tool of love; “what if love is the new money? Can make this change? What would happen when sharing, i.e., velocity of love (or love money) goes exponential or parabolic? Is sharing is the new wealth? What would happen if business were in the business of sharing? More specifically, who gets and what is their portion? “And in the end, the love you get is equal to the love you give” (The End, Beatles, 1969).
The first thing to address, is who are you, as a business? What is the existential reason and purpose of the existence of the business? What are you offering? Second is the environment, has the environment changed or is changing? What if there is a new paradigm? Our current paradigm is scarcity. But what if we change our perspective to the paradigm to “abundance?” Presume abundance is the paradigm. What is the SWOT analysis in relation to an environment of abundance? How can a business best use their core competencies (strengths) while mitigating, transforming, or leveraging their weakness? Mitigating and transforming a weakness is simply a lesson or challenge of learning and doing something more effective. Last, are the “threats and opportunities” of the new environment. Again, this is simply learning to see the terrain and navigating positions for leverage. Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” has been a reference for businesses. It focuses on the strategy and tactics of the relationship with the external, i.e., terrain, influences, the combatants and their movements.
The Art of Being
Erich Fromm wrote the classic “The Art of Being,” (1991). Fromm discusses a way of being based on authentic self-awareness. “The Art of Being teaches us to avoid the tantalizing illusions of our consumer-driven world by learning to function as a whole person (or business) from a state of inner completeness or being…” (https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Art_of_Being.html?id=GWKYNgAACAAJ). The point is, that as a business, ideally it is an ongoing process of questioning “who and what are we doing” because change is constant.
What are the essentials of your being? Do you need to re-evaluate your being. How does your goal and purpose change presuming abundance? What are you doing, a product, service, or perhaps a relationship? Traditionally, this is determined by the owner, founder, entrepreneur and/or board. However, the discussion of being should be expanded to include, or at least opinions and feedback solicited from, community, staff and customers, i.e., parties who have a primary relationship or involvement with the business.
This is a simple, who, why, when, where and how, i.e., the business plan. What is interesting is a presumption of a “change in the perception or understanding, i.e., premise(s)” either of the environment or paradigm of the external. Which is not per se’ the environment, but the understanding of the environment. Yet here again the focus is on the external environment. Versus “being” is of the internal environment. The external environment is what we are told, have presumed or understood it to be. Whereas the internal environment centers on “who we have determined our self to be.” And therefore, it is our prerogative to determine our relationships of being in business.
How Shall We Do Business?
What if we determine our self to be a creator or at least interact and relate to business? What do we create/relate and why? Certainly, artists and crafts persons come by the creative impulse naturally or inherently. An artist inherently has an internal relationship in which creativity flows through and from them. The challenge is to making money or a living, i.e., a business. It is suspected the business, marketing, sales, and bookkeeping is the bane of most artist’s existence. Business is the external relationship with the rest of the world. An art is a connection, opportunity or portal for folks to experience and relate to something that is beyond our mundane experience. This occurs often via an emotional connection of poetry, art, music, dance, etc. Whereas a crafts person creates a well-thought-out elegant utilitarian or pragmatic piece that beautifies and enhances living life well. So, the question is how does one value and support the artist and crafts person?
The When, Where, and How of Business
The when, where, and how are matters of logistics and execution, i.e., the processes of doing business. Doing business is about relationships. Relationships with the potential customer/user, employees, suppliers, and the community. And it also involves an internal relationship with yourself. Being who you are and your meaning, purpose and alignment. Sensing and claiming who you are and orienting your relationship to the external world and to the future (Beck’s view of the self, world and future).
What are the qualities of being and subsequently your relationships? Are they simply sovereignty, integrity, compassion, grace and love? Sovereignty and integrity are the given, i.e., the state “I am.” Sovereignty is the internal statement. Whereas integrity is the outward (external) facing value of who you to your business world or environment. Compassion and grace are the quality of relationship. Compassion is the empathic or “in communion.” Perhaps it is the mercy and willingness to understand and overlook the faux pas of the encounters or experiences. “It is all good, no worries.” While grace is understanding and working with the dynamic energy and its flowing. It is the ability to move with and navigate toward elevating the relationship, its values and the parties by subtle and graceful means. Grace is usually unseen, except in retrospect. Folks can see the results, but fewer can see or understand the dynamics. Grace in a sense, is the articulation, glue, and air of a summer’s afternoon’s dream. The experience of grace is like an intuitive or instant download of knowledge or knowing that may not be fully recognized until later. Love is the alpha and omega. It encompasses the interaction and relationship. Love is the magic being. The experience (knowledge) of being alive! Each moment is a direct experience, the single endless moment of being. What be a lovely business to be in?
So concludes a brief conceptual 3 part series of thoughts for your consideration. Of how we might quickly change to a more enlightened existence on our planet.
Part 1: https://lovechangegrow.com/when-you-love-to-hate-doing-it-to-yourself/
Part 2: https://lovechangegrow.com/the-love-of-children-is-the-foundation-of-the-future/
Blessings,
Tim